Partnering for Success
Southwestern and Parents �����������������������������������������������������������������������46
What You Should Know About Parenting a College Student�����������������������47
Parents of Millenial College Students: A Survey Snapshot ��������������������������50
What Can I Do to Help My Student from a Distance? ��������������������������������52
Academic Expectations and Realities��������������������������������������������������������55
Coaching Your Student Through Difficult Times ���������������������������������������58
What Parents and Guardians Should Know
About the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)�����������������60
Quick Reference of Departmental Contact Information������������������������������61
Book Recommendations��������������������������������������������������������������������������63
Local Accommodations���������������������������������������������������������������������������65
Local Banks��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������67
Transportation to/from Austin-Bergstrom Airport��������������������������������������67

3

Parent Relations

Welcome to the Southwestern University family! Since this campus will be your
student’s home-away-from-home while at college, it is important that your family
feel comfortable and informed. This handbook is a resource of facts, phone
numbers and some well-intentioned advice to help you with your student’s
college transition.
Our best advice—encourage your student’s independence. As he or she learns
to manage time and money and to make many life-shaping decisions, your love
and support will confirm your belief in him or her. Ask your son or daughter
what he or she has learned—inside and outside the classroom. Beyond the
academic experience, Southwestern University offers many opportunities for
campus involvement, community service, fitness and leisure. Remember that
mail, food and money can provide meaningful encouragement!
During your student’s college years, you will receive
Southwestern, the University magazine; News from SU
for Parents, a monthly electronic newsletter; invitations
to Family Days; and much more. If you have questions
about becoming involved; attending athletic events,
plays or concerts; or purchasing t-shirts and other
Southwestern paraphernalia, please contact us. You
may also want to visit our website to keep up with
new developments at Southwestern. Your family is a
significant part of our campus community and we
hope you always feel at home in Georgetown.
Sincerely,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your student to what we hope
will prove to be some of the most remarkable years of your student’s life.
I was inaugurated as Southwestern’s 14th president on April 4, 2001—33 years
after graduating from Southwestern with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.
As you can imagine, Southwestern is a special place to me. It’s where I met my
wife, Jane. It’s also the institution that has nurtured the educational journeys
of our daughters, Libby and Katie. Indeed, our family’s appreciation for and
commitment to Southwestern is a shared value among us all. Over the next four
years, I hope you and your student will develop that same sense of appreciation
and commitment to Southwestern, a place the late author Loren Pope, former
education editor for The New York Times, recognized in his book, Colleges That
Change Lives, for its astounding impact on students who enroll and graduate.
At Southwestern, our purpose is clear: to foster a liberal arts community whose
values and actions encourage contributions toward the well-being of humanity. Your student will encounter an unwavering commitment to academic and
artistic freedom. A liberal arts education is more appropriately characterized
by efforts aimed at synthesis, integration and meaningful generalizations. It
exposes the student-poet to physics and technology and the young accountant
to the history of art. It takes advantage of each student’s potential for posing
value questions and for displaying problems, facts, ideas, events and situations
in their full contexts. At its best, it produces generalists who can think critically
and creatively, exercise judgment, sort through complexities, tolerate ambiguity, communicate effectively and adapt to change. Concurrently, a liberal arts
education is an excellent foundation for careers and graduate study. It teaches
communication skills, sharpens decision-making abilities and develops analytical proficiency. Most important, a liberal arts education encourages the habits
and aptitude for lifelong learning.
Jane and I warmly welcome you and your student into the Southwestern family
and trust that the many experiences before you will be enriching and enlightening. We are grateful that you have chosen Southwestern and stand ready to
assist you in any way that we possibly can.

Sincerely,

Jake B. Schrum ’68
President
5

Southwestern University:
A Rich History and Continued Momentum

In 1835, William Barret Travis, leader
of a group of Texas settlers, called
for the establishment of a Methodist
presence in the region through a letter
written to the New York Christian
Advocate. In response, Methodist
church leaders dispatched three
missionaries to Texas, including Martin
Ruter of Pennsylvania.

College in 1844, McKenzie College
in 1848 and Soule University in 1856.

In 1868, Francis Asbury Mood, a
teacher at the South Carolina State
Normal School, agreed to become
Soule’s president. Mood found Soule
in disarray. He quickly formulated
a plan to sponsor and support one
central Methodist institution. Mood was
Ruter found Texas
elected president of
an unsettled region
the new institution,
r e c o ve r i ng f r o m
which later became
the ravages of
Southwestern, located
war and surviving
in Georgetown. Two
under the danger
years after opening
caused by enmity
its doors as Texas
b et we e n s et t le r s
University in 1873, the
a nd C o m a nc he s.
state of Texas granted
Despite the chalthe institution’s Union
lenges, Ruter’s vision
Charter under the
of a college came
name South Western
The Rutersville Bell signals the
to fruition in 1840
University. The name
start of community gatherings
with the founding of
Tex a s Un ive r sit y
Rutersville College, and dates back to Southwestern’s was relinquished to
first root institution, Rutersville
six miles north of La
the state. At that time,
College.
Grange. A.M. Levy,
Southwestern was
who served as the Republic of Texas’ the most southwest-located Methodist
surgeon general, donated 320 acres of college in the country.
land so that Methodist pioneers could
open Rutersville—the first institution of Over the next several decades,
higher learning in Texas. Southwestern Southwestern emerged as Texas’ central
traces its genesis to Rutersville and three Methodist college. Struggling with
other early Texas Methodist institutions enrollment and finances during the
that were founded later: Wesleyan 1920s and 1930s, Southwestern was
6

saved from financial ruin by Elizabeth
Carothers Wiess, a Houston benefactor. World War II brought prosperity to Southwestern when the War
Department selected it as a site for a
Navy officers training program. Among
the Southwestern midshipmen were
some of the best football players
from Baylor, The University of Texas
at Austin, Texas Christian University,
Southern Methodist University, Rice
University and Oklahoma University.
By the fall of 1943, the “Immortal 36”—
as they became known—overpowered
other teams, even beating UT Austin.
The Pirates went on to win the Sun
Bowl in 1944 and 1945.
The 1950s marked Southwestern’s
return to its focus as a liberal arts and
sciences college. The few graduate
degrees it offered at the time were
dropped. Over the next few decades,
Southwestern’s reputation grew. By the
early 1980s, the name “Southwestern
University” began to appear in national
college guidebooks. In 1988, U.S. News
& World Report named Southwestern
the top regional liberal arts college in
the nation.

In 1994, the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching
promoted Southwestern to classification among 160 national liberal arts
colleges. A chapter of the prestigious
honor society Phi Beta Kappa was
installed in March 1995.
Much of Southwestern’s emergence as
a national liberal arts college was due
to a 20-year “challenge grant” funded
by The Brown Foundation, Inc. of
Houston. Between 1976 and 1996, the
challenge brought in more than $31
million, which provided funds for the
University’s first endowed professorships, established the annual Brown
Symposium and funded the Brown
Scholars program, which offers full
scholarships for outstanding students.
Today, Southwestern is considered one
of the nation’s premiere undergraduate liberal arts colleges. Its Paideia®
Program, which was started in 2002
with the help of an $8.5 million grant
from the Priddy Charitable Trust of
Wichita Falls, Texas, provides a unique
interdisciplinary educational program
for the 21st century.

7

Southwestern University:
Distinguished Moments

Southwestern is recognized as the
successor of the first institution of
higher learning in Texas, chartered by
the Republic of Texas in 1840.
Southwestern beat The University of
Texas at Austin (63-10) in the first
college baseball game played in the
state in 1884.
Three of the first five Rhodes Scholars
in Texas were Southwestern graduates.
Legendary folklorist and author J. Frank
Dobie graduated from Southwestern in
1910. The J. Frank and Bertha McKee
Dobie Collections are located in the
A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center.
Southwestern’s library is home to the John
G. Tower Library. The late U.S. Senator
from Texas, who served from 1961–1984,
graduated from Southwestern in 1948.
In 1975, the college of arts and sciences
was officially named the Brown School
of Arts and Sciences in recognition of
gifts from The Brown Foundation, Inc.
of Houston.
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is the
nation’s oldest honorary society, having
championed and fostered the value of
study in the liberal arts and sciences
since its inception in 1776 at the College
8

of William and Mary in Williamsburg,
Va. Installed on March 25, 1995, the Phi
Beta Kappa chapter at Southwestern
is one of 11 of the society’s chapters
in Texas.
The late Loren Pope, former education
editor for The New York Times, included
Southwestern in his book, Colleges That
Change Lives, which was first published
in 1996. He wrote, “[Southwestern] is one
of the few jewels of the Southwest whose
mission is to prepare a new generation
to contribute to a changing society, and
to prosper in their jobs, whatever and
wherever in the world they may be.”
In 1998, Southwestern faculty, students,
alumni, staff and trustees identified
the University’s core purpose and core
values. The core purpose: Fostering a
liberal arts community whose values
and actions encourage contributions
toward the well-being of humanity.
The core values: Promoting lifelong
learning and a passion for intellectual
and personal growth; fostering diverse
perspectives; being true to one’s self
and others; respecting the worth and
dignity of persons; and encouraging
activism in the pursuit of justice and
the common good. A sixth core value,
cultivating academic excellence, was
added in 2008.

In 1999, Houston investment manager
Fayez Sarofim pledged $8 million for a
major renovation to Southwestern’s Fine
Arts Center. In recognition of this gift,
the Southwestern Board of Trustees
voted to name the school of fine arts
The Sarofim School of Fine Arts.
The National Sur vey of Student
Engagement consistently finds that
students at Southwestern rank above
students at peer institutions—and
significantly above the national average—when it comes to being engaged
in their academic endeavors. The
survey measures five areas that are
associated with high levels of learning and development: level of academic
challenge, active and collaborative
learning, student-faculty interaction,
enriching educational experiences and
supportive campus environment.
In April 2001, the Board of Trustees
approved Southwestern’s Strategic Plan
for 2010. Developed by faculty, staff,
alumni, students, trustees and friends,
the plan listed four strategic goals that
served as guiding principles during the
decade, among them “fostering a liberal
arts institution of the highest rank and
quality.”
As part of the Strategic Plan for 2010,
the University established the Paideia®
Program in 2002. Supported in part
by an $8.5 million grant from the
Priddy Charitable Trust, the program
is designed to help students make
connections between what they are
learning in the classroom and the world
around them, with the goal of educating global citizens for the 21st century.
In 2005, Southwestern began offering Living-Learning Communities
to further strengthen its First-Year
Seminar program.

Also in 2005, Southwestern was
elec ted to f ul l membersh ip of
the Institute for the International
Education of Students (IES). The
membership of IES is made up of a
group of premier colleges and universities and full membership is by invitation only. As a full member of IES,
Southwestern has the opportunity
to provide significant input regarding the curriculum, pedagogy and
strategic direction for one of the leading study abroad organizations in the
United States.
In March 2006, Southwestern University
kicked off Thinking Ahead: The
Southwestern Campaign, a $125 million
comprehensive campaign designed
to fund priorities in the University’s
Strategic Plan for 2010. In 2010,
Trustees extended the campaign in
order to raise funds for priorities in
the Strategic Plan for 2020.
In 2006, Southwestern University was
one of the first colleges or universities
in the country to be recognized by the
Carnegie Foundation for its commitment to community engagement.
In the spring of 2007, Southwestern
University became the second university in Texas to sign the Talloires
Declaration, a 10-point action plan
for incorporating sustainability and
environmental literacy in teaching,
research, operations and outreach at
colleges and universities.
Southwestern University has been
named to the President’s Higher
Education Community Service Honor
Roll every year since 2006. Criteria
for the Honor Roll include the scope
and innovativeness of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities and the extent

9

to which the school offers academic
service-learning courses.
The 2008 edition of The Best 366 Colleges,
published by Princeton Review, ranked
Southwestern number seven in the
country for Best Career/Job Placement
Services. The list was compiled from a
survey of 120,000 students at colleges
included in the book.
The Fiske Guide to Colleges regularly
lists Southwestern University among the
Top 25 Small Colleges and Universities
Strong in Art or Design and among the
Top 37 Small Colleges and Universities
Strong in Business.
In 2009, Southwestern University
President Jake B. Schrum ’68, signed
the American College and University
President’s Climate Commitment.
In early 2010, the University signed an
agreement with the City of Georgetown
to power campus electricity needs
exclusively with wind power through
the year 2028.
The Wilhelmina Cullen Admission
Center, which opened in 2009, was
awarded Gold LEED certification from
the U.S. Green Building Council. The
Charles and Elizabeth Prothro Center
for Lifelong Learning, which opened
in 2010, was awarded Silver LEED
certification.

10

In March 2010, the faculty, staff,
University Council, Student Congress
and Board of Trustees approved
“Shaping Our Future: The Strategic
Plan for Southwestern University
2010–2020.”
In Sept. 2011, Southwestern President
Jake B. Schrum outlined a series of
“Bold Initiatives” designed to support
Southwestern’s strategic direction,
including proposals for several new
degrees and a January Term.
On Oct. 28, 2011, the Board of Trustees
voted to add football and women’s
lacrosse to Southwestern’s compliment
of varsity athletics opportunities, bringing the total number of teams to 20.
The decision to add these sports was
a natural outcome of the University’s
supporting strategic direction to
enhance the campus experience for
students through carefully planned
growth of the student body. Today’s
student-athletes contribute in many
positive ways to the campus community and have GPAs and graduation
rates equal to or higher than the average for all Southwestern students.
For more information, visit
www.southwestern.edu.

Office of the Provost

The Office of the Provost and Dean
of the Faculty is responsible for the
University’s total educational program.
The Provost’s Office is charged with
administering the academic program
in such areas as institution-wide planning; faculty recruitment, evaluation,
promotion and development; library
development; academic advising; publication of the online Faculty Handbook
and the University Catalog; class
scheduling, registration and student
records; coordination of the First-Year
and Advanced-Entry Seminars and
the Paideia® Program; and certification of graduates. These duties are
performed in consultation and collaboration with the University Council,
the Academic Affairs Council and the
Faculty Affairs Council.
Those reporting to the provost include
division/school chairpersons, academic
department/program chairs, dean of
the Sarofim School of Fine Arts, dean
of library services, assistant dean of
academic success and advising, registrar, director of intercultural learning, director of the Paideia® Program,
associate dean of faculty development
and academic assessment, associate
dean of the Brown College of Arts
& Sciences, director of the language
learning center, director of the Deborah
S. Ellis Writing Center, director of civic
engagement and director of the Upward
Bound Program.

Frequently Asked Questions
What does my student need
to do to remain in good
academic standing?
First-semester students must pass at
least six credits with a 2.0 semester
grade point average. After the first
semester, students must pass at least
eight credits each semester with a 2.0
overall grade point average. Students
who do not meet the grade point average and/or credits passed requirements are placed on probation for
one semester and may be subject to
dismissal. Students who do not pass
six credits in the first semester or who
do not meet the terms of their probation in subsequent semesters may be
dismissed. Additional information on
academic standing may be found in
the University Catalog.
Will my student have
easy access to his or her
adviser and professors?
New students are assigned an academic
adviser (a faculty or professional staff
member), using information provided
by the student in the various materials
mailed during the summer. Because
all advisers are trained to advise firstyear students in any major, students
may be initially assigned to an adviser
outside their intended major. After
the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first semester or when

a major is selected, he or she may
choose a new adviser. Although advisers are concerned with their adviseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
academic welfare, it is ultimately the
studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility to initiate
contact with the adviser. Advisers
help students understand academic
expectations and requirements, choose
classes and understand how to access
campus resources. Generally, advisers
meet with students during posted office
hours or by appointment.
How is the first year of
study selected? What is an
average academic load?
Students are sent registration information and access instructions for
WebAdvisor in May, allowing them to
register for courses at assigned times
during the month of June. Staff in the
Center for Academic Success (CAS)
are available by phone and email to
answer questions about the registration
process. It is important that students
check their new Southwestern email
address frequently during the summer
for important details regarding the
Language Placement Exam, course
registration and advising assignments.
During Orientation Week, each student
will meet with his or her academic
adviser to make any necessary modifications. Typically, students take an
13

average of 16 credits each semester;
the First-Year and Advanced Entry
Seminar classes are two credits, so
many first-semester, first-year and
transfer students take 14 or 16 credits.
Do academic advisers help
students choose a major or
assist with career planning?
Students are not required to declare a
major until the spring semester of their
sophomore year, allowing them time
to thoroughly explore their options
before officially declaring a major.
Career Services outlines a four-year
career planning process and helps
students solidify major and career
choices via interest testing and individual appointments. The CAS also
offers major choice resources and
hosts the exploratory student meeting
during Orientation Week. Academic
advisers and faculty members can
also assist students in career planning
and exploration. Students planning to
major in education and attain teaching certification are encouraged to
declare the major as early as possible,
preferably during their first year. Any
student interested in teacher certification should contact a member of the
education faculty during his/her first
semester.
When do we find out how
much credit our student
receives for AP tests?
AP subject areas with test scores of
four or five always earn credit. An
International Baccalaureate (IB) score
of at least five earns credit in the same
way as AP scores. Academic advisers
will have this information to help facilitate registration. Students also receive
a copy of their credit evaluation from
the Registrarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office.

14

Is class attendance required?
Yes, as stated in the Student Handbook,
class attendance is required. Students
are expected to attend all regularly
scheduled classes and any other time
for which credit is granted. At a small
university like Southwestern, classes
are heavily dependent upon in-class
discussion and move at a brisk pace.
If a student is having a tough
time in an academic or personal
endeavor, is there staff available
for advice or consultation?
Yes. In addition to consulting with their
adviser, students who have specific
academic questions or who are experiencing academic difficulty may seek
help from the CAS. The CAS staff can
assist students who need help with
skill development, excessive absenteeism, disability accommodations,
and personal or medical problems
that affect academic performance.
Counseling Services provides students
with free, confidential counseling
regarding personal issues.
Is tutoring available?
What does it cost?
Tutoring sponsored by Southwestern
is free and available in introductory
science, math and language courses.
Most students in courses which do
not have tutors receive help directly
from the professor during regular office
hours or by appointment. The CAS can
help students make tutorial arrangements. Students may also hire private
tutors who charge an hourly rate and
are not employed by the University.
Southwestern University believes in a
system of self-advocacy.

Does Southwestern have a
“watchdog” person assigned
to first-year students?
While faculty members and CAS staff
are always on the lookout for students
who may be struggling, it is ultimately
a student’s responsibility to take the
first step in seeking help and guidance,
which is readily available through a
variety of campus resources. Faculty
may alert CAS staff to specific problems in a student’s performance, attendance or engagement. When these
situations occur, CAS staff follow up
with the student to create a plan for
improvement.
What grading system does
Southwestern use?
Southwestern uses an A, B, C, D, F
grading system; the grades of A, B, C
and D may be awarded with a plus or
minus. Additionally, a grade of P (Pass
for a C- or better) may be awarded but
does not count in a student’s grade
point average (GPA). Please refer to the
University Catalog for specific instructions on determining a GPA and for
additional details regarding the grading system.
Are semester grades
sent to parents?
Because students may view their grades
online, grade reports are generally not
mailed. The best way to see grades is to
ask your student. Parents may request
copies of final grades at the conclusion
of each semester, provided your student
has signed a release allowing this to
happen. If a student did not do this
prior to Orientation, he or she may file
a release in the Registrar’s Office. The
authorization to release grades to parents
is effective until rescinded by the student.
Due to government regulations regarding student privacy, student performance
cannot be discussed with parents without
the student’s explicit written permission.

Who can talk to me about my
student’s academic performance
and what can they tell me?
The Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits the
release of student information without written consent from the student.
Southwestern University complies with
this law. Although some students still
may be the financial (and perhaps
legal) responsibility of their parents,
this does not automatically entitle the
parents access to student data. When
students sign a release to issue their
grades to their parents, the release
only covers grades, not performance.
If your student gives written consent to
faculty or an administrator to discuss
his or her progress with you, only the
information specifically stated in the
release will be discussed. For more
information, see What Parents and
Guardians Should Know About the
Family Education Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) on Page 60.
Does Southwestern have
an Honor Code?
Ye s. A long- held t r ad it ion at
Southwestern University is being true
to oneself and others. Students established the Honor Code more than a
century ago to commit themselves to
academic integrity and to hold each
other accountable in their endeavors
both inside and outside the classroom.
Students write and sign the Honor
Pledge when completing every examination, paper, quiz and other professordesignated assignment to reaffirm their
commitment to honorable conduct. The
Honor Pledge states, “I have acted with
honesty and integrity in producing this
work and am unaware of anyone who
has not.” If a student is noted to have
engaged in dishonorable conduct, the
concern is brought to the Honor Code
Council. The Honor Code Council is
composed of at least 12 students and
15

at least 12 faculty members representing the Division of Humanities, the
Division of Social Sciences, the Division
of Natural Sciences and the Sarofim
School of Fine Arts. While the main
purpose of the Honor Code Council
is to educate the campus community
on the privileges of studying under an
Honor Code, the Council also serves
as a Hearing Board for Honor Code
violations beyond those resolved with
Non-Judicial Resolutions. For more
information about the Honor Code, visit
www.southwestern.edu/academics/
honorcode.
Does Southwestern
have a Dean’s List?
Yes. Students are placed on the Dean’s
List for a given semester if they attain
a grade point average for that semester
of at least 3.60 for 12 academic credits
of graded coursework, and if they are
in good standing with the University.
Announcement letters are mailed to
students’ permanent addresses.
Registrar
David Stones
Registrar
Email: stonesd @ southwestern.edu
Phone: 512-863-1951
Adrienne Embree
Associate Registrar
Email: embreea@southwestern.edu
Phone: 512-863-1226
Katy Sombito
Assistant Registrar
Email: sombitok@ southwestern.edu
Phone: 512-863-1443

In a real sense, every student admitted to Southwestern receives financial
assistance. Income from endowments and gifts pays for more than 40 percent
of each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational costs. Tuition and fees pay the balance. Friends
of the University have made additional funds available for financial assistance,
which is granted on the basis of both merit and need. The University has
scholarships, grants, work opportunities and loans to assist worthy students in
meeting financial needs for their college educations. The Office of Financial
Aid has information about the programs Southwestern offers to help families
pay educational expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the schedule of
tuition payments?
Twice per year: end of July for fall
term; mid-December for spring term.
Financial assistance is disbursed on a
similar schedule.
Will all financial assistance
automatically renew
from year to year?
No. Need-based financial aid such
as federal grants, state grants,
Southwestern University need-based
scholarships and student loans require
that a family submit a Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each
year. The FAFSA may be submitted
online at www.fafsa.gov and can
be accessed through the Office of
Financial Aid website. The deadline
for submitting the FAFSA is March 1 of
each year. Financial aid notices will be
sent out over the summer.

Most types of merit-based financial aid (such as Ruter, Mood, Cody,
Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Pirate Awards) are
renewed each year, provided the
student maintains satisfactory academic
progress as defined in the University
Catalog. Some scholarships (such
as the Brown Scholarship and Fine
Arts awards) have additional renewal
criteria. Information about scholarship
renewal criteria can be obtained from
the Financial Aid website.
Are there scholarship opportunities
available for continuing students?
Yes, there are a limited number of nonneed-based scholarship opportunities
for continuing students. Information
about these scholarships is available
through the Office of Financial Aid
website at www.southwestern.edu/
aid/types/scholarships/continuing.php.
17

When do I re-apply for financial aid
for the upcoming year?
The deadline for submitting a FAFSA
for the upcoming academic year is
March 1.
How can my student find out about
on-campus work opportunities?
Students can visit the Pirate Link
page, accessible through the Office of
Career Services at www.southwestern.
edu/offices/careers/. A student is not
required to have a work-study award
in his or her financial aid package in
order to work on campus.
How can I view my studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial aid award information?
This information is available through
your WebAdvisor account.
How can I contact the
Office of Financial Aid?
www.southwestern.edu/assistance
Email: finaid@southwestern.edu
Phone: 512-863-1259
Fax: 512-863-1507

Students and parents with questions related to paying tuition and fees and other
billing concerns are encouraged to contact the Business Office, located on the
first floor of the Roy and Lillie Cullen Building. In compliance with the federal
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Southwestern University
cannot release or discuss a student’s financial information to anyone—including
parents or guardians—unless authorized by law or unless the student consents to
the disclosure in writing by completing the “Parent Access to Student Information”
form found at www.southwestern.edu/academics/registrar/forms/index.php.
Please note that two different authorizations are included on the form. The
first relates to grades and the second allows the Business Office to discuss the
student’s account and financial information. Include an email address to receive
communications from the Business Office related to your student’s account. The
form must be completed and signed by the student and returned to the Office
of the Registrar via fax at 512-863-1685 or by mail to Office of the Registrar,
Prothro Center Room 100, P.O. Box 770, Georgetown, TX 78627-0770.

Frequently Asked Questions
W hen will I receive bills from
Southwestern?
Bills are typically mailed in mid-July for
the fall semester, and in November for
the spring semester. You may receive
additional bills for charges accrued
during the semester such as traffic
tickets, library fines, residence hall
damages and/or course fees. Bills are
sent via email and mail.
How does my student give authorization to use federal Title IV funds
to pay all charges on their account?
To use federal Title IV funds to pay
allowable charges other than tuition,

fees, or room and board, students
should log on to WebAdvisor and
complete the “Federal Title IV Funds”
authorization form, located in the
Financial Aid and Financial Information
sections.
W hat methods of payment are
accepted for tuition bills?
Southwestern accepts cash, checks,
cashier’s checks and money orders in
person. We accept checks, cashier’s
checks and money orders by mail,
and wires from your bank account
(please call for banking information) or online MasterCard, American
19

Express and Discover payments with a
small convenience fee. We also offer a
payment plan and work with the Texas
Guaranteed Tuition Plan.
How do I make a credit card
payment?
To make a credit card payment, go to
www.southwestern.edu/businessoffice/, and select “Credit Card Payment.”
You will need the student’s name and
Southwestern ID number located on
the top left of the statement. Please be
advised that a 2.75% convenience fee
will be added to credit card payments.
How does the ECSI Payment Plan
work?
The optional payment plan divides
the tuition bill amount into interest-free month ly payments. To
enroll or for more information visit
www.southwestern.edu/businessoffice
and select “Payment Plan.” Select the
ECSI link under the “Sign Up” section
to access the application. Once you
have completed the application, send
the $40 application fee and the first
payment to ECSI. Southwestern will
be notified that your payment plan has
been successfully established.
If you have further questions, contact
Susan Moore at 512-863-1928 or by
email at moores@southwestern.edu. If
two separate payment plans are needed
(if, for example, a student has divorced
parents), please contact Susan Moore
before applying online.

20

W hat do I need to provide to
Southwestern to use the Texas
Guaranteed Tuition Plan?
If you par ticipate in the Texas
Guaranteed Tuition Plan, send an
“In-State Enrollment Verification” to the
Business Office so that Southwestern
is aware of your student’s participation
in the plan.
What if my student does not need a
vehicle permit?
All Southwestern students are automatically charged a Vehicle Registration
of $100 per semester. If your student
does not have a vehicle or is studying
abroad for a semester, the charge may
be waived by completing the Vehicle
Registration Waiver form and turning it
in to the Business Office. The form can
be found at www.southwestern.edu/
studentlife/safety/ or can be obtained
at the University Police Department
office. The completed waiver must be
returned to the Business Office each
semester to receive the credit.

The Division of Student Life provides
services and activities that both support
and extend the educational mission of
Southwestern University.
Acquiring knowledge in a classroom is
just one part of what takes place during
college. Building character, becoming
an active citizen and developing leadership skills all play important roles in
the educational experience. One of the
most important challenges students face
is finding congruence between values
and behaviors. The Office of Student
Life aims to engage and support every
student in a positive way throughout
this extraordinary, life-changing time,
ensuring that the uniqueness of each
individual is respected and celebrated.
Many of Southwestern’s high-quality
student life programs have achieved
national recognition. Counseling and
health services, intramurals and recreation activities, and diversity education
programs have all been recognized
nationally for excellence by the National
Association of Student Personnel
Administrators. Southwestern’s Office
of Career Services was ranked seventh
in the United States by Princeton
Review, and with the Southwestern
Police Department’s excellent work,
the University received an A+ safety
rating by College Prowler.
22

Parents can assist by encouraging
their students to utilize the services
and programs designed to promote
growth and achievement. It is especially helpful to your sons and daughters when you urge them to advocate
for themselves.

Residence halls are a vital part of the Southwestern campus community, complementing the educational program by providing an atmosphere conducive to
meeting students’ academic, social and personal needs. Students who have
completed less than four full semesters are required to live on campus. Students
living in traditional residence halls are required to participate in the meal plans
provided by Southwestern’s Dining Services. Students who have completed at
least four full semesters are not subject to a residential requirement; however,
most juniors and seniors choose to live on campus. Overall, 82 percent of
Southwestern students live on campus.
Residence Life professional staff are responsible for physical and educational
programs in the halls, which include program development to enhance the
growth of students, advising of students, counseling and referrals, supervision
of the student staff and administrative tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an adult in the
residence halls?
Yes. Nine full-time professional staff
members live on campus. Although
Southwestern considers its students
young adults, it also recognizes the
adjustments college students are
attempting to manage, especially firstyear students. An associate dean for
student life and an assistant director
of residence life, as well as eight resident associates, are employed by the
University to help with crisis management and to handle emergencies.

What are the roles of
resident assistants (RAs)?
Selected upper-class students hold
positions of responsibility within the
residence halls. These students, or
“RAs,” provide direct assistance to the
students in their living area (30 per RA
in upper-class halls and 15 per RA in
first-year halls) by providing information, helping to ensure that University
community standards are met through
brief counseling and/or referral, offering acquaintanceship, fulfilling basic
administrative tasks and helping to
organize interesting educational, social
and recreational events and programs.

23

What is your alcohol policy?
Each individual and group within the
Southwestern University community is
required to comply with all applicable
laws and regulations pertaining to the
possession, use and distribution of alcoholic beverages. Students 21 and older
are allowed to consume alcohol in their
private rooms. Also, student organizations must register parties where alcohol
will be allowed. These parties may be
held in fraternity houses, the Dorothy
Manning Lord Community Center, the
Sharon Lord Caskey Center, the Julie
Puett Howry Center and other locations
with special approval, and measures
must be in place to prevent use or
consumption by underage persons.
Are there any curfews? What
are the policies regarding
coed visitation?
There are no curfews in the residence
halls. In single-gender first-year halls,
coed visitation ends at midnight Sunday
through Thursday and at 2 a.m. Fridays
and Saturdays. Guests of students are
required to have escorts in single
gender halls.
How do you reconcile differences
between roommates?
RAs, and sometimes professional staff,
work with roommate contracts and
sometimes through meetings between
the t wo roommates. While this
normally works, students are allowed
to change roommates if an unresolvable situation exists. The Southwestern
residence life philosophy is that no
situation in the residence halls should
be allowed to negatively affect a
studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic experience.
How much does it cost to do a
load of laundry? How accessible
are the machines?
The cost to use washers and dryers is
$1 per load. Laundries are located in all
24

residence halls and in The Grogan and
Betty Lord Community Center.
Is there a small kitchen area
in each residence hall? Are
there ice machines, vending
machines or microwaves?
Most residence halls have ice machines,
vending machines (drinks and snacks)
and microwaves. Some of the halls
have kitchen facilities.
Should students get a small
refrigerator for their room?
Students may bring small refrigerators
no larger than 4.3 cubic feet in size.
How can we call our student?
The University acknowledges that
students rely on cell phones to stay
connected to family and friends. Landline telephones are not provided in
student residences on campus.
How do I address mail to
my student? Email?
Each student is assigned a post office
box and an email address as a firstyear student; these remain the same
until graduation. Mail is addressed to
students at SU Box ____, Georgetown,
TX 78626. Email addresses usually
include the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last name
(or, t he f i r st seven let ter s of
the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last name) plus the first
initial, followed by @ southwestern.edu.
(Email service is coordinated through
Information Technology Services.)
Do you suggest that students
have cars on campus?
This decision has to be made by
students and their parents. About
70 percent of Southwestern students
bring cars to campus. For those who
do not, it is not a problem to find a ride
to local businesses. Vehicle registration is handled by University Police.
(See Page 42.)

Is any transportation
available (bus, car or shuttle)
to the Austin airport?
Yes. This service is available for
approximately $65 one way. To save
money and for convenience, students
often have friends give them a ride to
the airport.
Is there a place to cash a check
on campus? An ATM?
Students may cash checks for up to
$100 in the Business Office. An ATM is
located in the Red & Charline McCombs
Campus Center.

The Office of Student Activities acts as an adviser, ally, administrator, educator and mentor to Southwestern students by facilitating learning experiences
through leadership opportunities, student organizations, social activities and
other services that promote personal growth and the empowerment of students
for success in our diverse community and beyond.
The Office of Student Activities is located in the Red & Charline McCombs
Campus Center, Suite 340.
There are approximately 100 student organizations on campus, including student
publications, a student-run coffeehouse, student government groups, a University
Programming Council that organizes all-campus events, nine national Greek social
organizations, national service organizations, religious groups, and academic,
honor and departmental organizations.
The Office of Student Activities also coordinates New Student Orientation,
organizes student committees, schedules meetings and events in the McCombs
Campus Center and more.

Frequently Asked Questions
How can my student get involved?
There will be a Student Organizations
Fair the week after classes begin to give
students an opportunity to visit with
members from many of the organizations. An Organizations Guide which
lists/describes all organizations and
cites contact names and addresses is
available at www.southwestern.edu/
studentlife/orgs.

26

What if a student wants to
start an organization?
Yeah! We welcome students to come
by the Office of Student Activities
to talk about their interests. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an
easy process, and we are always
ready to help.
Is there anything to do on weekends?
Yes! Weekend programming includes
nationally touring performances in The
Cove every Friday night and monthly
Saturday night first-run movies,
complete with freshly popped popcorn!

There is also an annual concert
during the academic year. Enhanced
on-campus entertainment, combined
with Georgetown and Austin entertainment opportunities, greatly contribute to student life at Southwestern.
The University Programming Council
is a group of students who plan,
organize and execute campus activities. Student Activities can provide
more information.
Is there student government?
Yes. One benefit of University life is the
opportunity for students to participate
in their own governance. This opportunity comes through participation in
the Southwestern Student Congress
and other University-wide committees.
The Student Congress is a group of
elected representatives that sponsors
monthly meetings to inform students
of University issues and to provide a
forum for concerns and opinions. In
addition, students have the unique
opportunity to participate with faculty
and administrators in the major governing councils of the University.

When is social fraternity/
sorority recruitment?
Deferred recruitment, held in January,
provides students with a chance to get
organized academically. Recruitment
information will be available during the
first semester. Students may also choose
to wait until their sophomore year.
What percentage of students pledge
social fraternities/sororities?
A pp r ox i m at el y 3 0 p e r c e n t o f
Southwestern students are involved in
Greek organizations. Southwestern has
four national social fraternities (Kappa
Alpha Order, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta
Theta and Pi Kappa Alpha), and five
national social sororities (Alpha Delta
Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Delta Delta,
Kappa Delta Chi and Zeta Tau Alpha).
27

Diversity Education

The Office of Diversity Education seeks
to make Southwestern a welcoming and
affirming place for the entire community. In order to promote diversity and
social justice, the Office of Diversity
Education facilitates workshops,
supports student programs and events,
and explores cultural awareness. The
Office of Diversity Education specifically works with student organizations
such as the Coalition for Diversity and
Social Justice and the six cultural/
identity based groups within the coalition: SU Allies, EBONY, Kappa Delta
Chi, Latinos Unidos, SU Native, and
Pan Asian Association. The Office of
Diversity Education is located in the
Cross Cultural Center in the Charles
and Elizabeth Prothro Center for
Lifelong Learning.
Diversity Education events include:
Asian American Heritage Month
Coalition for Diversity and
Social Justice Retreat
Latino Heritage Symposium
Martin Luther King
Community Dinner
Black History Month
SU Native Powwow
ShameLess - Queer Music Festival

The University Chaplain is available to offer counsel, information and referrals
to students seeking spiritual support and to those interested in learning about
opportunities for religious activities.

Frequently Asked Questions
Where can my student find
out about worship services and
religious communities in the
Georgetown and Austin area?
The Office of the University Chaplain
provides a listing of local area houses
of worship and the services they
provide on the Spiritual and Religious
Life website: www.southwestern.edu/
offices/spiritualandreligiouslife/. For
additional listings and religious offerings in the greater Austin area, visit
www.interfaithtexas.org.

service program conducted during
spring break). Many students find
support through involvement in one
of our student religious organizations
(see Page 30) or with one of the service
organizations on campus. Students
who find that their interests or needs
are not met by the available organizations are encouraged to talk with the
Student Activities staff or the University
Chaplain about organizing additional
events to enhance and expand our religious life programs.

What type of religious
programming does
Southwestern provide?
Southwestern offers a variety of
programs through campus student
organizations, the University Chaplain
and campus lectures. Voluntary midweek chapel services are held each
Thursday during the regular semester
from 11:30 a.m. to noon, and Tuesday
evenings at 9 p.m. Other worship
opportunities are offered during
special seasons and as evening study
breaks. Activities include informal studies and discussions, lectures, retreats
and Destination: Service (a volunteer

The Office of the University Chaplain is
located in the Julie Puett Howry Center.

Counseling Services provides free,
confidential, short-term counseli ng regardi ng personal issues.
Southwestern students may seek counseling for a wide variety of concerns,
including adjustment to college, making
friends, motivation, depression, anxiety, sexuality, body image, eating disorders, sexual assault, alcohol or drug
abuse, stress management, bereavement, family issues or romantic relationships. Counseling Services staff
members also offer outreach programs,
group counseling and referrals to offcampus professionals for psychiatric
medications and long-term counseling.
While the counselors at Southwestern
represent varied areas of expertise and
diverse personal backgrounds, they
all have training in helping college
students grow through the personal
problems they occasionally encounter.
What can parents do if a
time comes when they have
concerns about their student’s
emotional welfare?
Parents are welcome to call Counseling
Services to talk with a counselor about
their student. Because of confidentiality
laws, the counselor typically cannot
disclose whether their student is a
client, but can listen to the parents’
concerns and help them explore various strategies for offering support and
assistance.

The Office of Health Services provides
education and care to assist students
as they learn to take responsibility
for their own health and well being.
Emphasis is placed on the importance
of preventing illness through a healthy
lifestyle and on managing health issues
that may arise.
The on-campus health care team
includes a registered nurse, a nurse
practitioner, part-time physicians
and part-time physician’s assistants.
Working as a team, they are able to
treat common health concerns and
provide health maintenance of chronic
conditions, including routine women’s
health issues as well as any necessary
laboratory work.
The nursing staff is available daily
for drop-in visits. When appropriate,
an appointment with a physician or
physician’s assistant will be scheduled.
These services are free to Southwestern
students.
Due to limited resources and facilities
on campus, not all health care needs
may be met. Thus, when the situation
warrants, the on-campus team will
make outside referrals to physicians
and other health care professionals in
the community. Consideration will be
given to the student’s private insurance
requirements or out-of-pocket costs.
32

Excellent emergency room care is
available 24-hours-a-day at St. David’s
Georgetown Hospital, Scott & White
Healthcare-Round Rock, and Seton
Medical Center Williamson.
The Health Services staff also provides
individual counseling on nutrition,
exercise, stress management and other
health-related topics, and offers presentations to residence halls, classes and
other groups on health-related issues.
Tapes, videos, books and brochures on
many health-related topics are available
for students’ personal information or as
resources for research or presentations.
The Office of Health Services is located
on the second floor of the Charles and
Elizabeth Prothro Center for Lifelong
Learning.

Career Services sponsors a wide variety of programs and workshops to help
students in all areas related to career exploration and planning, from choosing
a major to job search techniques. Special events, including “Professional Practice
Interview Day,” “Etiquette Dinner” and “Career Connections Barbecue,” are offered
throughout the year to assist students in building career-related skills. Students
may meet individually with a career adviser for assistance in discerning interests,
values and skills as they relate to majors and careers. Self-assessment inventories
include the TypeFocus Inventory, Strong Interest Inventory and Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator. Career Services offers students a Resource Center and access
to NACElink, an online job and internship site with a résumé database used to
refer students to employers. In addition, Career Services maintains an extensive
website that provides links to many career exploration and job search sites, as
well as information on upcoming programs and events.

Frequently Asked Questions
At what time are students
encouraged to visit
Career Services?
Students are encouraged to begin visiting Career Services during their first
year at Southwestern. Students who
work with Career Services all four
years gain a better understanding of
the career exploration and job search
process and are more successful at
transitioning from college to the world
of work or to an advanced degree
program. When students are ready to
experience an internship, they can
visit the Career Services internship
coordinator to obtain information
about the application process and
available opportunities.

34

What services are available? What
about job fairs or résumé writing?
A variety of services and resources are
provided by Career Services, from oneon-one career advising to a Resource
Center housing more than 650 careerrelated books and hundreds of job
listings. Career Services publicizes job
fairs across Texas and provides transportation to several large fairs during
the year. Students may attend fairs
to meet employers who offer entrylevel, summer and internship positions. Résumé writing booklets are
available, as is downloadable résumé
information from the Career Services
website. Résumé critique appointments
are available to help students develop
résumés suited to their individual
career needs. Career Services also

helps students with the graduate and
professional school application process.
What job search assistance do you
provide for students and graduates?
Tailored, individual job search advice
is available by appointment with
Career Services staff. Career Services
maintains a list of alumni who are
willing to share occupational information with students and answer
questions about their chosen career
fields. Among numerous Web links
and print resources, NACElink is
a Web-based job search tool with
a résumé database that connects
Southwestern candidates with national
employers for full-time employment
and internships. Career Ser vices
also sponsors employer information
sessions and hosts recruiters interviewing Southwestern candidates.

Southwestern University competes in the NCAA Division III as a member of
the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. All members of the conference
are small, independent, academically competitive liberal arts institutions that,
like Southwestern, see athletics as a part of the total educational experience.
As a Division III member, Southwestern does not award athletic scholarships.
Members of athletic teams participate for the love of the sport. The University
offers basketball, soccer, cross country, tennis, golf, swimming and diving,
and track and field for men and women as well as lacrosse and baseball for
men and volleyball and softball for women. Beginning in the fall of 2013, the
Athletics Department will be fielding two new sports—football and women’s
lacrosse—bringing the total number of varsity teams to 20.
The opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics is open to any fulltime student. Athletics Department programs place the highest priority on the
overall quality of each participant’s educational experience. The staff’s primary
goal is to develop a model sport program that incorporates honesty, integrity,
sportsmanship, respect for others, fairness and leadership opportunities with
the physical challenges of excelling in the sport. Athletics Department programs
and services provide fair and equitable treatment of men and women.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do athletes have to pay
for their own travel?
No. Southwestern pays all expenses
associated with the athletic teams and
their travel.
Does participating in
intercollegiate athletics hurt
students academically?
Rarely. The average GPA for studentathletes is usually as high or higher
than the overall average student GPA.

36

What about missing classes?
Are the athletes excused?
Athletic team travel is considered
a University “field trip” under the
excused absence policy. Athletes must
work closely with their professors and
discuss missed class work in advance
of the absence. Southwestern faculty
are very supportive of student-athletes.
My student was not recruited; can
he or she still make the team?
It is very possible. Varsity athletics are
competitive at Southwestern and our

coaches recruit throughout the year
to fill their team rosters with qualified
athletes. However, the tryout process is
open to all students and those wishing
to seek a position are encouraged to
contact the respective coach to immediately declare their intention.
How good are the athletic
programs at Southwestern?
Excellent and highly competitive.
Over the last several years our teams
have won multiple conference championships and a number of our teams
have competed in NCAA Regional and
National Championships. Our goal is
to become one of the top Division III
programs in the country!

Southwestern Intramural and Recreational
Activities (SIRA) provides the University
community with opportunities for physical,
social and educational development through
participation in intramural, fitness/wellness,
sport club and outdoor recreation programs.
Intramurals provide competition on organized
teams and individual sports at various skill
levels. More than 20 leagues, tournaments
and special events are offered annually with
men’s, women’s and co-rec divisions of play.

Ultimate Frisbee is one of many
intramural sports offered at
Southwestern University.

A wide variety of fitness and wellness opportunities is offered. Please visit our
website for more information about these programs, which include personal
training, Zumba, Pilates, Tango, yoga and more.
Sport clubs are student organizations focused on a specific sport or physical
activity. A club may be instructional, recreational and/or competitively oriented
depending upon the interest of the club members. Current sport clubs include
women’s lacrosse, fencing, handball, SU Dancers and Cheerleaders.
Outdoor Recreation offers students a wide variety of camping equipment that
can be checked out for weekend use. Workshops give novices the opportunity
to learn about equipment and basic skills necessary before planning an outing.
In addition, outdoor trips are offered each semester. A nominal registration fee
is required for each trip.
Finally, more than 40 students are employed annually in several important
positions within the Intramural and Recreational Activities Department. Each
of these positions allows for personal growth, a sense of accomplishment and
contribution to the University community.

38

Is any experience necessary
to participate in intramural
and recreational activities?
No experience is necessary, and the
majority of activities can accommodate
students of all ability levels.
Is there any cost to participate?
Most activities are free to current
students. However, some sport clubs
charge annual dues and all fitness
classes and outdoor trips do have a
subsidized participation fee.

Derek Timourian, Director of
Intramural and Recreational Activities;
Assistant Dean of Students

Information Technology Services (ITS) provides computing, networking and
cable TV services for students, faculty and staff. Computing services include
administrative functions such as student access to WebAdvisor for class registration, instructional technology support for classroom and computer labs and
the technology support HelpDesk. ITS also delivers services to students in
the residence halls. Every resident has high speed wireless and wired Internet
connectivity in his or her room at no additional charge.
Visit our â&#x20AC;&#x153;New to SUâ&#x20AC;? website: www.southwestern.edu/its/newtosu for
more information.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do students need to bring
their own computers?
Students are not required to own a
computer, although most do; 97 percent
of the entering class brought a computer
last year, with laptops being the most
popular. If a student does not have a
computer, Southwestern has several
open labs and public computer workstations available. Our most popular
lab, located in the A. Frank Smith, Jr.
Library Center, is open 24 hours, seven
days a week.
If a student brings a
computer, should he or she
also bring a printer?
A personal printer is not a necessity, but many students have them
for convenience. Our student labs are
equipped with high-speed laser printers.
Color printing is available for a small
fee. When buying a personal printer,
40

consider the cost of the ink cartridges
carefully as their cost can easily exceed
the price of the printer.
How much does it cost to print
pages in the campus computer labs?
All students are allotted $30 each
semester for printing. Black and white
single-sided copies are 7 cents a page,
and double-sided are 8 cents. Color
printing is available in the 24-hour lab
in the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
for 35 cents per singled-sided page
and 60 cents per double-sided page.
Students rarely exceed the initial $30,
but additional dollars can be purchased
if their account runs low.
Does Southwestern have a
computer purchase program?
What about software?
The University does not sell computers. However, discount pricing for

systems is available to Southwestern
students through the Dell and Apple
online stores. Southwestern classrooms
and labs are installed with Microsoft
Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
It is recommended that students use
Microsoft Office to be compatible with
the faculty and labs.

Students may purchase Microsoft software at attractive educational prices
from Scholar Buys, an academic reseller.
For details and pricing, visit our “New
to SU” website: www.southwestern.
edu/its/student and click on the link
“Buying a Computer.”
Is Southwestern a wireless campus?
Yes. Wireless access is available in all
campus buildings and many outside
areas. To ensure uninterrupted internet
service in all residence halls, students
should bring an Ethernet cable to use
with their personal computers.
If my student already has
a personal email account,
does he or she need a
University email account?
Yes. All students are required to maintain an active Southwestern email
account for University communications.
This account will become an integral
part of his or her daily communication with faculty, service departments
and other students. Students can
read their email via WebMail from
any Internet-connected computer on
or off campus. WebMail is a popular email service on campus and is
accessed via the University portal at
my.southwestern.edu.

41

University Police

All Southwestern University Police officers are licensed and certified by the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer’s Standards and Education as meeting
the training requirements of the State of Texas for peace officers. Southwestern’s
police officers are recognized as peace officers under Article 2.12 of the Texas
Code of Criminal Procedure. They make arrests pursuant to the code for crimes
defined in the Texas Penal Code and ordinances of the City of Georgetown.
Southwestern officers are armed and in uniform to be highly visible for the
campus community and to act as a deterrent against crime. Students are encouraged to notify University Police any time criminal activity or anything suspicious
is observed on campus, or if he or she has been threatened. University Police
offer a community policing model which provides education for self-protection
and crime prevention awareness.

Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any crime on campus?
What are the crime statistics?
Southwestern is not immune to crime.
Most crimes on campus are crimes of
“opportunity” which include theft or
criminal mischief. Crime statistics are
kept on a calendar basis, compiled
in a brochure per the Campus Safety
and Security Act of 1990 and are available upon request or by accessing
w w w.op e.ed.gov/sec u r it y. T he
Southwester n Universit y Police
Department presents crime awareness
programs throughout the year.

42

What measures are taken to ensure
safety for students on campus?
Grounds are patrolled 24 hours a day,
365 days a year by uniformed, armed,
state-certified police officers. Officers
patrol in highly visible vehicles, on
foot and by golf cart for easy access
to the interior of campus. Residence
halls are locked 24 hours a day and
are checked by University Police and
the resident assistant staff on a regular
basis. Police provide an on-campus
escort for any student requesting one.
The University has also instituted an
Emergency Notification System to alert
students and staff about on-campus
emergencies via telephone, email and
text message.

Where do students park their cars?
What is the cost to keep a car on
campus?
Southwestern has parking lots throughout the campus for student, staff and
faculty parking. The cost of a parking permit is $200 per year. Students
must register their vehicles with the
University Police by filling out a registration card, showing proof of insurance, paying the fee and affixing a
parking permit to the back window
of the vehicle.

Southwestern University, like you, is
focused on one outcome—the success
of our students.
Southwestern’s academic and student
life programs seek to engage students’
minds and transform their lives through
a rigorous liberal arts education and a
vibrant residential campus.
Our objectives are likely very similar to
your own. We aim to help your student
develop into an intelligent, resilient,
responsible, productive, well-rounded
young adult prepared to contribute
“toward the well-being of humanity.”
With these shared aspirations, we
ask parents and family members of
Southwestern students to partner with
us. Taking responsibility for one’s own
education is central to the Southwestern
Experience. Southwestern offers an
extensive network of resources so
students can help themselves, solve
problems and build the confidence
to manage their own education. By
encouraging students to utilize these
resources, they develop competencies
that will serve them well in life.
You can help us ensure the success of
your student by...
Asking questions. Encouraging
your student to contemplate
possibilities rather than providing

46

answers will help him or her
tdevelop problem-solving skills.
Encouraging your student to
resolve issues by identifying
and using available resources.
Avoid the temptation to
“fix” problems for them.
Helping your student understand
that processes are valuable in
an educational environment. For
example, learning to negotiate
differences and to manage
conflict are important life skills.
Avoiding the temptation
to get overly involved in
processes that are designed for
students to do themselves.
Of course, as parents, you are rightly
interested and invested (intellectually,
emotionally and financially) in your
student’s education. You are the most
important force in your student’s life.
Just as you shaped the values your
student now holds, you have an important role in shaping his or her emergence as a young adult.
We invite you to share our hope that
Southwestern students and graduates
will be confident, self-motivated young
adults in charge of their lives, capable
of dealing equally well with both challenges and opportunities and prepared
to contribute to the world.

What You Should Know
About Parenting a College Student

Southwestern University welcomes
your family into ours. We are pleased
that your student has chosen this
community to be his or her intellectual home for the next four years and
look forward to the achievements he
or she will experience while enrolled.
We want for your student what you
want—success, happiness, health,
safety, challenge and growth, so that
the child you raised can be a bright,
moral and courageous leader as a postSouthwestern adult.
The University is full of professionals who have spent years working
with students, and we encourage you
to draw upon their wisdom when
you need some information or some
reassurance. But most important, we
encourage you to encourage your
student to seek out our expertise when
faced with questions or challenges, or
when they want to share an inspiring story. Here are some thoughts to
consider as your family embarks on
this journey, adapted with gratitude,
from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
During the college years, students
essentially re-create themselves and
their identities, using the values that
you have embedded as their cornerstones. The developmental tasks of
a young adult are as significant as

those of a developing toddler. The
intellectual stimulation of college
introduces new horizons of thought
that students must examine and integrate into their views of the world.
Responsibilities and problems will
arise that students will have to learn
to negotiate on their own.
In the next four years, you will once
again see your student struggling to
walk on his or her own, perhaps falling and scraping knees, going in new
directions or experiencing the euphoria
of discovery. You will once again be
asked to “let go.” As with a toddler, you
will be asked to guide and instruct, to
maintain loving contact and to allow
your student to learn to walk alone,
bruises and all, in order to discover
new horizons.
The transition from adolescence to
young adulthood and maturity is
called “individuation,” becoming a
person in one’s own right, not merely
an extension and junior edition of
one’s parents. This is a time of uncertainty, questioning, experimentation
and vulnerability. College students find
themselves in largely unrecognized
turmoil, confronted with new rules
of interaction, new lifestyles (some of
which they’ll try on for size) and a lack
of familiar structure. This leads to a
great deal of self-evaluation, comparing
47

previous structures from home and
high school with new ideas.
Having your student begin his or her
college career can be a stressful experience for you as parents, especially if
your son or daughter hasn’t lived away
from home before. During this important time of transition for the family,
many parents put their own feelings
and reactions on hold while helping
their student prepare for college life.
Attending to your own emotional needs
as well as your student’s, however, will
go a long way toward helping everyone
feel comfortable with the challenges
that going to college presents.
1. Recognize that feelings of
ambivalence about your student
leaving home are normal.
Give yourself time to adjust. For some
families, this step can seem like a
dramatic separation of parent and
student, although it is usually the
separation of adult from almost-adult.
It is normal, too, to look forward to
the relative peace and quiet of having
your active older adolescent out of the
house and having the place to yourself,
or being able to spend time with your
younger children. After all, if the phone
rings, it might actually be for you!

48

2. Allow yourself to feel whatever
emotions come up.
While your student is getting ready to
come to Southwestern, there is little
benefit in pretending that you do not
feel sad, guilty, relieved, apprehensive
or whatever feelings you have. Often,
parents have other changes and
sources of stress happening in their
own lives, such as aging parents or
mid-life health issues that add to
the impact of this transition. You’re
probably not fooling anyone by trying
to hide your reactions; a healthier
approach is to talk about them with
your family, friends, clergy or whoever
is a source of support for you.
3. Make “overall wellness” a goal
for yourself.
Especially during times of change, it
helps to get enough sleep, eat healthful meals and get adequate exercise.
Spending time doing things you especially like is another step toward wellness. If you feel good, you are more
likely to have the energy to be a good
role model and resource for your
student.

4. Remember that, for your
student, coming to Southwestern
is a tremendously important developmental step toward adulthood.
This step represents the culmination
of 18 or so years of learning, much
of it geared toward helping your
student assume a productive place
in the world. This is the time when
your hard work will show itself in
the form of a framework that your
first-year student will use in becoming independent. Many parents find
that it helps to focus on the fact that
providing your student with this opportunity is a priceless gift. Be proud
of yourself!

6. Consider your own dreams.
Especially for parents whose last or
only child has moved away to college,
consider the possibilities that come with
greater personal freedom. Taking on
new challenges is an excellent way to
manage and channel energy and feelings. Have you ever wanted to write a
book? Learn to fly fish? Make a quilt?
Volunteer in your community? Assume
a new project or responsibility at work?
Travel? Make a list of all the things you
intended to do while your son or daughter was growing up, but never had the
time to do. Now is your chance!

5. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to reward yourself!
Go out and celebrate with a dinner or
a party. You have raised a wonderful
adult who is moving on to an exciting
phase of his or her life. Give yourself
a pat on the back for a job well done.

49

Parents of Millennial College Students:
A Survey Snapshot

Sending your student to college brings up some common themes for many
parents. While all families have unique dynamics, here are some thoughts that
are on the minds of parents just like you.
Adapted, with gratitude, from Millennials Go to College,
by Neil Howe and William Strauss, 2007.
The Datatel 2006 College Parent Survey,
released by LifeCourse Associates and
Crux Research, explores how today’s
college parents view their relationships with their students and with the
colleges their students attend. From
student achievement levels to college
dining to student debt, the study
reflects the new direction of Millennial
college students—the generation that
began to enter college in 2000—and
the hands-on attitude of their parents.
Here are some of the latest data about
parents of Millennial Generation
college students:
The parents surveyed:
Talk on the phone with their
student an average of three
to four times per week.
Welcome their student home
for visits seven or eight
times each school year.
Agree by four to one that they are
more involved in helping their
student succeed at college than
their own parents’ generation.
50

Consider today’s college students
to be more organized and
inclined to plan ahead than they
themselves were at that age.
Played more active roles
in developing the list of
colleges from which their
student would choose.
Overwhelmingly agree that
colleges should allow them
direct access to their student’s
grades, attendance records,
health records, disciplinary
records and class schedules.
Admit that they pressure their
students more in the areas
of academic achievement
and life planning than they
themselves were pressured.
Three quarters said they were
involved in their student’s
choice of academic major.
Nearly 70 percent said they
had some involvement in their
student’s specific course choices.

Today’s parents, more than the previous
generation:
Communicate with their students
more than five times a week
using email, instant messenging,
phone and text messages.
Rate the social and
experiential component of a
college education, including
extracurricular activities, alumni
networking and belonging to
a student body with common
values, to be very important.
Expect their students to have
higher levels of debt, and
expect that debt to affect their
student’s career choices.

Rate the final cost of college
attendance and their student’s
probable debt levels as
extremely important when
evaluating colleges.
Have a greater focus on
practical employment issues.
Consider the earning
capabilities of graduates
when evaluating a college.
Virtually all (98 percent) current
parents believe colleges should
help students find jobs that
relate to their major or their
field (compared to 79 percent of
their own parents’ generation).

51

What Can I Do to Help My Student
from a Distance?

Your parenting job is not over; it is simply changing. You are entering the launching phase of parenthood. As students enter into adulthood, it’s important for
parents to begin acting as coaches and advisers, helping their sons and daughters
make good decisions, without “telling them what to do” or “rescuing” them.
Here are some ways that you can express your care and enhance your student’s
growth into adulthood as well as his or her experience at Southwestern.
Adapted, with gratitude, from You’re On Your Own (But I’m Here if You Need
Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years
by Marjorie B. Savage, 2003.

1. Listen to his or her concerns.
Even though your almost-adult is experimenting with independent choices,
he or she still needs to know that
you’re there and available to talk over
everyday events and difficult issues. If
your student needs help or support, the
subject is more likely to come up if you
are not inquiring pointedly about what
time he or she came in last night. Listen
to the melody, not just the content.
Do not trivialize any of your student’s
concerns or emotions. Much of what
he or she is saying is “I’m changing and
I’m scared,” even when the content is
“I know what I am doing.”
2. Stay in touch
(but not too much)!
Remember the names of roommates
and friends that are mentioned often.
Encourage your student to send you
pictures of his or her room and friends.
Be interested but not intrusive. Send
52

photos of family activities and pets, and
care packages at exam times.
3. Negotiate frequency of
communication.
Parents need to stay connected to
their sons and daughters, and college
students need to respect the fact that
parents want to check in with them
periodically to see how they’re doing.
Talk about how often you’ll speak on
the phone, visit each other or send
emails. Set a pre-determined day and
time to call, once a week or so. Sunday
evenings are often best. If an uncharacteristically long amount of time passes
with no word, it’s not a bad thing to
check in and make sure everything is
going smoothly.

4. Be willing to cut the cord.
Encourage an appropriate level of independence and self-responsibility. Let
them use their own judgment to decide
what is best for them and trust them to
make good decisions. Teach them life
skills such as how to do laundry, live
on a budget, set up a checking account
and manage their time.
5. Help your student problem-solve.
If your student calls home with a problem, stay calm. Practice reacting to such
“melt-down calls.” For example, you
could say, “I’m sorry you are having
a rough time. How are you going to
handle it?” Then coach; don’t rescue.
Coach them in talking things through
with their roommate or making their
own phone calls to the professor.
Encourage your student to use the
University’s services instead of relying solely on you for help. On-campus
professionals have a wealth of experience to quickly help resolve your
student’s issue.
6. State your concerns.
It is OK to ask if they have thought
about study habits, sexual conduct or
alcohol. As parents, you can send a
clear message to your student that they
can choose not to drink, and if they
choose to use alcohol, they should do
it moderately, legally and appropriately. Don’t glorify your own “youthful drinking days,” if you had them.
7. Don’t overburden your student
with your own emotional issues.
What you want is to be useful to them,
and you will need to find someone
else to help you with how you feel.
They want to know you care, but they
don’t want to know too much. Keep
them informed, but grant them a little
distance from any family problems
that arise.

8. Encourage smart financial
practices.
Most students come to college with a
fairly detailed plan about how tuition,
room, board and books will be paid
for and what their family’s expectations are about spending money. Work
together to set up a budget plan for the
year. Warn your student not to apply for
every credit card offered. Smart money
management is a lifelong skill that will
benefit your student.
9. Be realistic about academic
achievement and grades.
Southwestern attracts bright students
from all over the country, but not every
first-year student who excelled academically in high school will be a straight-A
student here. Developing or refining
the capacity to work independently
and consistently and to demonstrate
mastery can be more important than
grades, as long as the student meets the
basic academic requirements set out by
the University. Instead of focusing on
grades, ask your student to discuss class
projects and papers with you. Again,
these are choices that each individual
student makes, though certainly it is
appropriate to coach your student in
setting his or her own long-term goals.
10. Keep your cool.
Students tend to share their good
times with friends and rely on family
in difficult times. While a “melt-down
call” may be troubling, it is a sign of
trust. They are allowing themselves
to be vulnerable with you. Try not
to be overly reactive to their venting,
or jump to intervene. To determine
whether an issue is a serious problem needing additional intervention,
consult the Southwestern University
Self-Help Links and Resources Page at
www.southwestern.edu/offices/counseling/selfhelp.php.

53

11. If your student does experience
difficulties at Southwestern, encourage him or her to take advantage of
the wealth of resources available for
students.
The small and personal environment
of the University offers many sources
of help. For academic issues, talking
with a professor or academic adviser is
probably the first step, but the Center
for Academic Success is also available to help. For stress, relationship
problems or more serious concerns,
the Office of Counseling Services
is available and free for students.
The Office of Student Life can assist
with a variety of concerns. Resident
assistants are available to help ease the
adjustment and to direct your student
to the right resources on campus.
For more information about campus
resources, see the Quick Reference of
Departmental Contact Information at
the back of the Parent Handbook, or
contact the Office of Parent Relations
at parents @ southwestern.edu or
800-960-6363.

54

Academic Expectations
and Realities

Adapted, with gratitude, from Letting Go (Third Edition),
by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger, 2009
It can be shocking, and somewhat
off-putting, to learn that parents likely
may not have access to their students’
grades. After all, paying tuition ought to
come with some basic privileges, right?
Colleges and universities employ a
variety of approaches when interpreting what is known as the Buckley
Amendment, or the part of the 1974
Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) which restricts access
to a student’s academic record. At
Southwestern University, a student
must explicitly sign a release, giving
parents or any other party to have
access to grades, academic progress
and even registration information.
Most students are more than willing
to release this information to parents,
but the important part to know is that
they must do so in writing. All students
may sign a release that is housed in the
Registrar’s Office (and was sent home
over the summer before matriculation
at Southwestern); about 98 percent of
students sign it.
However, it is important to note
that this release covers only end-ofsemester grades. Unless a student has
specifically authorized it in writing, the
University will not discuss academic
progress and performance with anyone
but that student. This is covered by a

separate release, housed in the Center
for Academic Success, and is signed on
a case-by-case basis by the student.
This release expires each calendar year.
For most students, these releases may
never be barriers because they feel
comfortable sharing their grades and
progress with their parents. Many firstyear students have points at which they
become discouraged and stressed and
even begin to question their ability
to succeed. They may call home for
encouragement and support. Parents
should expect some stress—it is a natural part of the experience as students
learn to make choices independently,
balance their time and manage multiple
priorities at once. If a course is not difficult, the student is not being stretched.
But when stress is paralyzing, it can
have negative consequences. Parents
can help their students by listening,
asking for a description of what they
are experiencing and acknowledging
the challenge they are facing. Some
ideas for specific questions include:
1. Where are you studying? Is it
an effective place to study, free of
most distractions?
2. How are you spending your time?
Do you study in the daylight hours?
55

3. Have you sought any advice from
your academic mentor, or maybe
your RA?
When pressed to identify alternatives to current strategies, students
can be very creative and often land
upon techniques that work well for
them individually.

It is important to remember that it is
the student experiencing the workload, taking the courses and getting
the education. What I do appreciate,
though, is when a parent can give me
a heads up on what seems to be a bad
situation if they sense their student is
caught in some way.”
From the student perspective:

Many students get stirred up and call
home before seeking any assistance
themselves. A parent can be helpful
by encouraging the student to make
an appointment with the professor
of a tough course, send an email to
his or her academic mentor or stop
by the Center for Academic Success.
Some students have too much pride
or not enough experience to ask for
help and parental support may help
facilitate taking that step.
Another great resource for most
students is the academic adviser. Most
advisers at Southwestern report wishing they would see their advisees more
often than just at preregistration time.
All advisers have been on campus at
least a full year and are fully-trained to
answer a host of questions or at least
have the ability to point students in the
right direction. But most advisers are
not skilled at reading students’ minds.
Students must be willing to ask the
questions they need answered.

56

“When I called home with a problem,
I didn’t want my parents to ‘fix it’ for
me, because it was hard to explain all of
the specifics and help them understand
the whole situation. What helped was
to hear them express interest in what I
was going through—show that they had
faith in my ability to make decisions
and get help where necessary. I needed
them to listen, not to lecture, so that I
could feel supported.”

When it comes to academic decision
making, academic advisers are the first
line for your student. At Southwestern,
advising is a matter of great importance
for the vast majority of advisers. Here is
what one adviser has to say about his
frustration when parents involve themselves with the advising relationship:

Throughout all of the ups and downs
of the first year, students are figuring
out what role academics are going to
play in their lives. They will begin
asking themselves (and probably
you) what academic success even
is and how important it really is to
them. As parents, it is important to help
students remember that what defined
success in high school may be radically
different in college, and it is equally
important for your expectations of your
student to be adjusted accordingly. The
Southwestern grading scheme says of
a C that a student has achieved “standard mastery of the course material.”
The harsh reality is that, at places like
Southwestern, more than half of the
incoming class each year is from the
top 10 percent of their high school
classes, and the vast majority has never
earned a C.

“When parents override a decision by
a student and an adviser, it undermines both the student and the adviser.

So, what is your family’s expectation of
your student’s performance, especially
in the first year at Southwestern? While

you have likely said, “Just do the best
you can,” that has probably traditionally meant earning As and Bs. Your
student may have even heard a more
pressure-filled message, like “I don’t
care about your grades as long as you
try your best.” What that may sound
like to your student is, “I know you can
get an A if you try your best.”
One mother commented:
“We finally accept the idea that our
children won’t be All-American athletes
or Yo-Yo Ma—but we still expect them
to excel academically in all their
courses. My son was a bacteriology
major, took philosophy and got a D.
We were shocked. We expected him to
be good at all subjects. That may be as
unrealistic as the mentality that says
we should all weigh 110 pounds. If we
can accept the fact that a kid who is
5’7” probably won’t play college basketball, then we should be able to accept
academic liability.”
For most parents, even if grades aren’t
the highest priority, there is still a
bottom limit on the grade point average. That number will vary from one
semester to another, one family to
another, and even from one student
to another in the same family. Our
advice is to encourage your students
to work hard to maintain the grade
point average that keeps them in school
(a 2.0) or allows them to keep their
scholarships or other financial aid
(probably between a 2.5 and a 3.5).

personalities. Parental assumptions and
expectations about what they should
study can act as barriers to the student’s
development. If students are to eventually separate from their parents and
become independent adults, they must
have agency over their own academic
goals and the consequences of their
performance. They have to discover
what they are capable of doing and
how hard they are willing to work to
reach their goals. Thus, the challenge
for parents is to remain supportive and
to be flexible and open to change.
All of Southwestern’s post-graduate
survey data indicates that by and large,
the students who leave Southwestern
after four years do amazing things with
their lives. The list of distinguished
alumni carrying out their responsibilities as bright, moral and courageous
leaders is lengthy. Alumni routinely
reflect on their time on campus in the
most flattering light, citing their close,
personal relationships with faculty and
staff as one of the highlights. There
are people all over campus who want
what parents want—Southwestern
University graduates that are healthy,
happy, successful adults.

There are parents who expect not only
a certain GPA, but even a certain major
that leads to a certain career. Some
parents even threaten to withdraw
financial support unless their student
follows a prescribed path. New college
students are just beginning to explore
their interests, strengths, values and
57

Coaching Your Student
Through Difficult Times
Adapted, with gratitude, from Letting Go (Third Edition),
by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger, 2009
Throughout an academic year, students
experience ups and downs and find
support by calling their parents. The
impact of life’s pleasures and challenges are measured through 10-minute
cell phone calls, short emails and text
messages. Most information brightens
parents’ days, from their student receiving an A on a paper to an athletic team
win. On other occasions, complaints,
frustrations and depression are carried
through dull conversations or shrill cries
that interrupt a parent’s already busy
work day.
When students are feeling unhappy,
parents often react too quickly. Some
parents react to one conversation or one
problem, rather than assessing the totality of their student’s experience, which
results in jumping to conclusions and
trying to solve their student’s problem
for him or her.
“Every time I call home depressed, my
mom either starts sounding depressed
herself, or she says maybe I should
come home, like I obviously can’t
handle things. That’s the last thing
I want to hear.”
In other situations, parents call the
University to solve their student’s problem, sometimes making the problem
bigger than it originally was. Parents
should keep in mind that many students
58

admit to calling home when they want
to complain. They tend to share their
good times with friends at school.
“There’s only so much you can complain
around here, because ever yone
complains so much. I have four papers
due. My friends’ attitudes are, ‘So what!’
They’ll be bitching about their own
heavy load . . . so you call home for pity.”
Often, when students try to share the
good news (along with their troubles),
they find it difficult to describe the
day-to-day activities that make up their
Southwestern Experience. They focus on
the negative to receive comfort, advice
and simply an ear to listen. For other
students, complicated moments of independence and the exploration of new
possibilities frighten them. In turn, they
go to their parents to be taken care of,
asking them to handle the “problem.”
Families can embrace these situations
as opportunities for students to develop
and learn. So, how can you create an
educational opportunity out of your
student’s problem?
1. Help your student problem-solve.
If your student calls home with a problem, stay calm. For example, you could
respond with, “I’m sorry that you’re
having a difficult time. How are you
going to handle it?”

2. Coach, don’t rescue.
Encourage your student to use the
University’s resources, instead of relying on you for help. (Use your Parent
Handbook for a list of resources.) For
example, give advice on how they can
talk things through with their roommate
or how to call their professor.
During the course of their time at
Southwestern, all students unsurprisingly experience short periods of minor
illness. When they suffer from colds and
the flu, as expected, students miss the
comforts of home. When feeling their
worst, they call family members seeking comfort and consolation. Parents
are often caught off guard the first time
that this happens.
“The second or third week of school, he
called and said, ‘Mom, what do you do
for a real bad earache?’ What I wanted
to say was, ‘You put the phone down
and wait for your mother. I’ll be there
in four hours.”

students as adults and encourages them
to contact their parents themselves.
Please keep in mind that the University
is trying to foster your student’s independence and will trust your student to
contact you unless the situation requires
more immediate action.
When students experience serious medical problems, parents are challenged to
trust unfamiliar medical caretakers and
their student’s ability to follow through.
Here, parents can partner with administrators to give the support and encouragement a student will need. Depending
on the situation, a student may need a
lighter course load or a leave of absence.
These arrangements are less common
but are made when all are in agreement.
The faculty and staff at Southwestern
want for your student what you want—
success, happiness, health, safety, challenge and growth. By partnering with
the University, you can help us create a
well-rounded educational environment
for your student.

Instead, encourage your student to visit
the Office of Health Services, located in
the Prothro Center for Lifelong Learning.
The on-campus health care team
at Southwestern includes registered
nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians
and physician’s assistants. Walk-ins are
welcome; however, scheduled appointments are strongly encouraged. Working
as a team, staff members are able to
treat student health concerns, including routine women’s health issues. A
range of common, over-the-counter
medications are available to students
at no charge.
Unfortunately, some parents encounter phone calls that bring news of a
student’s serious illness or accident.
Most parents expect Southwestern to
keep them informed of medical problems, however, the University treats
59

What Parents and Guardians Should Know
About the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, commonly
called the Buckley Amendment, is a
federal law designed to protect the
privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and
review their education records and to
provide guidelines for the correction of
inaccurate and misleading data through
information and formal hearings. The
Office of the Registrar makes available
copies of the federal regulations.
In accordance with FERPA, disclosure
of student information, including financial and academic, is restricted. Release
of information other than “directory
information” to anyone other than the
student requires a written consent from
the student.
The University retains the right to
release “directory information” without prior consent from the student.
Southwestern University considers the following information to be
“directory information”:
Name, phone number, mailing
address and email address.
Date and place of birth.
Year in college.
Prior educational
institution attended.
Major field of study.

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Dates of college attendance
and full-time status.
Degrees.
Scholarships and awards received.
Weight and height of
members of athletic teams.
Participation in officially
recognized activities and sports.
We understand that you are concerned
with your student’s academic progress.
Due to FERPA regulations, however, the
University cannot send grade reports
to parents. If your student is willing,
he or she may sign a waiver giving
permission for you to request that grade
reports be mailed to you and to discuss
financial information, merit scholarships
and financial aid. The best way to find
out about your student’s grades is to
ask him or her. Students may access
their final semester grades through the
password-protected WebAdvisor site.
If you have academic concerns for your
student, please contact the Center for
Academic Success at 512-863-1286.
However, please understand that the
amount of information we are able to
discuss without written student consent
is limited.

Quick Reference of
Departmental Contact Information

We want you to feel equipped to direct your student to various resources on
campus. Below is a list of offices and the types of information they can provide
for your student and you.

Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to
Understanding the College Years
Karen L. Coburn and Madge L. Treeger,
2009 (Fifth Edition)
ISBN: 0-06-052126-0
Letting go is never easy. Whether it’s
the first day of kindergarten or the first
day of college, families experience
tremendous changes. New responsibilities, new schedules and new relationships can often be daunting and
overwhelming to both students and
parents.
This best-selling guide, based on reallife experiences and recommended by
colleges and universities around the
country, offers compassionate, practical and up-to-the-minute information
to help parents with the challenging adjustments of the college years.
Important topics covered in Letting Go
include:
When should parents
encourage independence;
when should they intervene?
What issues of identity and
intimacy await students?
What are normal feelings of
disorientation and loneliness
for students and their parents?

What is different about today’s
college environment?
What new concerns about safety,
health and wellness, or stress
will affect incoming classes?
These important issues and more
are addressed with wise advice and
time-tested counsel in Letting Go—
a realistic and reassuring source for
meeting the challenges ahead from
the senior year in high school through
college graduation.
You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here
if You Need Me): Mentoring Your
Child During the College Years
Marjorie B. Savage, 2003
ISBN: 0-7432-2912-6
Parents whose children are away
at college have a difficult tightrope
to walk: they naturally want to stay
connected to their student, yet they
also need to let go. What’s more,
college students often send mixed
messages: they crave space, but they
rely on their parents’ advice and
assistance. Not surprisingly, it’s hard
to know when it’s appropriate to get
involved in your child’s life and when
it’s better to back off.

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You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here if
You Need Me) helps parents identify the
boundaries between necessary involvement and respect for their student’s
independence. Marjorie Savage, as a
parent herself, empathizes with moms
and dads, but as a student services
professional, understands young adults
and offers advice on wide-ranging
issues, including:
How to cope with your family’s
mood changes in the months
before move-in day on campus.
Why students complain about
the food but still manage to
gain 15 pounds their first year.
How to teach basic financial
responsibility, including the
handling of credit cards
and academic expenses.
When parental
intervention is critical.
With anecdotes and suggestions from
experienced parents and college staffs
nationwide, the strategies and tips
provided throughout will help you
create a loving, supportive partnership
responsive to the needs of both you
and your student.

Southwestern Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Core Values
Cultivating academic excellence.
Promoting lifelong learning and a passion
for intellectual and personal growth.
Fostering diverse perspectives.
Being true to oneself and others.
Respecting the worth and dignity of persons.
Encouraging activism in the pursuit of
justice and the common good.